Art of heating walls



A. R0BERT S ART oF HEATING wALLs.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9| 19H. RENEWED JULY 23,1920. 1,401,497, Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

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' A. ROBERTS.

ART 0F HEATING WALLS. APP'LlcATgoN FILED Nov. 9, 1917. nENEwEn' JULY 2s, 1920.

Patented Deo. 27, 1921.

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A. ROBERTS. `ART OF HEATING WALLS.y APPLICATION FILED Nov.`9.I9I1. IIEIIEwED IuIY 28,1920.

` Patented Dec. 27, 1921'.

uvmnmnm ffl/277663 UNITED STAT-ss PATIENT osi-Ica4 Amann manners. 0F mvANs'roN, ILLINOIS,` AssIGNon 'ro enmarcan odin: a* l enmarcan coureur, or omcaao, Immers, A conroaa'rronor MAINE. c

ART or HEATING wALLs.

Laumer.

specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

esplicativa md november 9, 1917, smalto. 201,1i2. Renewed July 2s, i920. seal No. seeae.

To' afl fw leo/171, #may concern V q e it known that I, ARTHUR Ronirrs, a citizen `of the United States, residi'nlAr at Evanston, in Lthe county of Cook and tate of Illinois, have invented certain new and ueetul Improvements' in the Art et' Heating Walls, of which the following is a specification.

This inventionhas to do with the heating of walls forsuch structures as coke ovens, distillate ovens, retorts, kilns and the like, and has reference to the method by which the heating is" accomplished, as'l well as the structure itself, although the features of the invention are very well adapted to the heating of walls for coke ovens, distillate ovens, and `similar structures. It will presently appear that they are vnot limited to `these particular uses. Nevertheless, since said features are of especial benefit when used in coke `ovens and distillate ovens and the like, and since the advantages to be secured from l their practice are per-"liliarlv beneficial when used in such structures, Is'hall hereafter speak of their use in connection with the art which includes Such structures and l shall also show a particular application of the` features to thisparticular art. It is to be remembered, however, that in so doing I do not limit myself to this application of the features of theinvention,except as I may do so in the claims. v e Hearing the foreggoinggfacts in mind, it isto be observed that in coke ovens,.dstil late ovens, retorts and `similar structures, uniformity of heat generation and distrihutiou over large areas is very desirable. and infact is absolutely necessary if maximum results are to be obtained. If the entire ment must in itselfbe distillation of the charge. That is, Whilethe action of the heat at all points of a `given Zone` of the oven should be uniform, it

should also, at all points be correct according to the requirements of the raw material andthe nature and quality of the products desired., That is, there should be uniform generaties iitqtll points oaf any given The natural law of'` combustion, where a Y, fuel gas capable of generating a flame4 of,

say, 30000 F. temperature is used, is unclr trollable to the operator in heating a Wall `unless there is a rate of transmission throughout the wall as rapid as the heat Vis e f generated. Consequently in the past this type combustion has not been considered feasible inthe operation of coke ovens and the like. By my method this type of com bustion is made possible and practical and is controllable according to ythe `will of the' operator. q v

At the initial points alongr theivall, gas is introduced and with it the air required for totally consuming it during the time it is in the wall. Only a part of the, total amount of gas in introduced at the initial Joint, sav as illustrative 60%. and 100G/Obi the air.y As there isv plenty of oxygen present iu the 100% of air, the 60% of gas burns with great rapidity, generating all` the heat ca-` pable of generation fromthe fuel consumed, but being intermingled with and sur# rounded by the molecules of excess air as a' tempering agent so thatv onl)7 a part of its heat comes into Contact with the walls at anyone point, thereby enabling the operator to obtain the maximum heat generation and at the `same time get a temperature ap propriete to `meet the said requirements according to the heat desired for maximum operation. At a point or points farther along in the` wall proceeding from the top of the oven downward, the balance of the gas Aor say 40% is introduced into a zone at the end or at the point Where the combustion of the initial gas has begun to ceaseLand which would permit a gradual cooling to take place. According to the practice of the past, it has been impossible to avail of the benefits of intense combustion of the shortflame because if the burning of the initial gas took place, say, fin a zone 6 feet in height, and the gases travel a `total of 12 feet, the temperature of the lower 6 feet of the wall would be less than in that zone where the initial combustionor fiame was being generated; consequently the wall would not have a uniform temperature throughout each foot of surface exposed.

But by the introducties of the s'eexd# ary gas, according to my method, a new and intense flame is caused to begin where the initial ame begins to weaken, ceases, making therebya series of continuous short intense flames, and therefore, by necessity, according to the natural law of combustion, producing a uniform generation of heat against all points of Contact in the wall, compelling a uniform distribution and absorption of heat in any given zone, the products of combustion being continuously built up by the most intense combustion possible and kept at the same temperature that they had in the'zone where the initial flame was generated and the same temperature is brought in contact with the lower zone. lf the surface is large enough it is not neces sary to confine the introduction of the gas to two stages; it might be any number.

` xBy the above method it is possible to ll the heating wall with combustible gases in the process of combustion and expose the entire surface yto these gases during the combustion period, thereby exposing the entire surface to the flame temperature. As a given gas has a' 'given flame temperature, which is constant, the wall to which this flame is exposed being in contact throughout its entire surface'with thisr flame, an equivalent uniform temperature' will be thereby imparted to the wallsurface.

Y By this method the necessity of carrying either 'excess air, products of combustion, or

other inert gases as a dilutant,"is obviated. Regardless of the problem only the required amount lof,v gas and airis introduced, the fuel gas being vintroduced in the combustion chamber fractionally.

Two things transpire by this method: First, by the'int-roduction of only a fraction of the gas, by way of illustration say, 60%

l ofthe fuel gas is introduced at the initial point 1and,100% of air, the rate of combustion. is not slowed down; consequently, the efli'ciency'or combustion is maintained, but on account of the excess air being present at y, this point, the flame temperature is tempered and ykept within a controllable range. Second,`when.the combustion has ceased with that part of the primary fuel gas introduced at therinitial point, then the secondary gas is introduced and the combustion vis .com

ypleted, 4the iia'me generation being maintainedthroughout all points of Contact of the wall by theefficient means of vthe short intense combustion, and as the air arriving ,Y atv this point vis partiallyl diluted with the products of .combustion Vfrom the primary zone, the flame at this 4point, is again tempered and not allowed to go beyond a controllable point, and as the result this zone is 7, maintained at .thev flame temperature, the

samelas, the primary zone. 4

Qonsequentl the distinguishing features Ofthlsmethod make it; .p vssiblev to, maintain uniform temperatures over large surfaces without the use of either excess air or gas as has been the practice in the past, and at the same time allow the maximum procurable temperature to be maintained on a wall, at the will of the operator. This also obviates the necessityof the long i'laine or slow co1nbustion in order to get a wide diffusion of the heat by the wide distribution of the flame and the necessity of using some dilutin agent by which no work is obtained.

will point out at this time that this ai'- rangenient results in the generation of a maximum temperatui'e in the combustion ases because there is always present a sufficient amount of air or oxygen to coinpletely burn the combustible gas introduced, and, furthermore, the gas and air will unito chemically in the most advantageous manner, and under the most favorable comlitions, because there is present no unnecessary inert gas serving to separate the molecules of the gas and air so as to interfere with the act of combustion. Each time an additional 4amount of combustible gas is introduced, the combustion is reinforced or renewed under the most advantageous condition, the moleM cules of gas and air being in as close association or relationship as may be possible. Therefore, the maximum temperature is secured, resulting in the most favorable conu dition for prosecuting the heating system, and at the same the most uniform temperature is secured over the entire arca of the wall. These results cannot be secured with any other method of heating or construction with which I am familiar.

In carrying into effect the features of the present invention I provide a construction or arrangement which allows the introduction of all the air and a means for introducing the fuel gas in stages to provide universal flame with relation to the surface to be heated by means of a series of continuous short llames, the full quantity of air being introduced along with a partial quantity of fuel gas at the beginning edge of this wall, the additional quantities of fuel gases being introduced from time to time during this single passage or tra-vel from one edge tothe other. Such an arrangement is to be distinguished from an arrangement in which the full amount of the air and gas for one continuous pass of lthe wall is initially introduced, depending on the velocities and inert as to slow down the combustion to a long slow flame that the sluggish flame may be drawn through a, one way passage of the wall, then repeating the operation in a return passage and so continuing back and forth from one side to the other until the flues have been covered throughout the wall. In the present case a large number of burners or points of introduction of full quantities of air and partial quantities of gas are dill `the wall in onedirection as one flame to the discharge edge thereof. the additional quan tl-ties of `gas being introduced at .'ai'ious points as desired throughout the :tace oi said `wall so to reinforce the combustion at thosepoints and in thoscaniounts necessary `to maintain a series of short Haines at all.

portions of the wall so that every point of the wall is in contact with the flame gcner ation of heat which of necessity produces a uniform temperature in all portions ot the wall.

In the practical carrying into eii'ect of the features of this invention, l. provide secondary, tertiary, etc., ducts, through which the `additional portions oi gas are introduced into the body ci the wall, said ducts reaching down into the body oi' the wall and communicating with the heating passages therein. These auxiliary ducts are o course adjacent to the teml'ierature of the wall, `since they are in or adjacent to the wall, and if there should be any deposition of carbon on the surface of these ducts,` the same may be readily removed by passing air through the ducts, to thereby urn out the carbon so deposited. The burning out of carbon in this manner will result in the generation of heat, and this heat will beintroduced into the wall so as to assist the heating action to that extent, thereby preventing any loss of heat on ai:- count of the deposition of the carbon.

`Other objects and uses of the invention will appear from a detailed description oil the same, whichconsists in the features ol':

construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed, as well as the process or method of heating.

Referring to the drawings:

"Figure 1 showsa cross section through a pair of adjacent coke ovens with their rctorts and heating walls. This section takenY at sucha point that it shows one oi" the passages through which the additional quantity of combustible gas is introduced;

`Fig.l2 is a cross secton similar to that of Fig. 1, with the exception that it is taken at a dilferent position so that it reveals one of the air risers. Figs. `1 and 2 may be considered as being taken on the lines 1mi and 2-2 of Fig. 4 respectively;

Fig. '3 is a ,fragmentary longitinlinal scetion through one of the heating walls, being.;l taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the intermediate wall between the'heating walls, being taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. l looking in the Ydirection of the arrows; y y

Fig. 5 is a; fragmentary plan viewol the top of a bench of ovens, showing one ai rangement of piping tor supplying the air and gas;

Fig. 6 is a side view ot one of the notched blocks used in building up the wall, and

Fig. 7 is a plan view corresponding to Fi 6.

caring in mind the matters hercinbeforc explained, and with the knowledge that I have herein illustrated the application of the features of invention to a particular construction simply by way of illustration and not as a matter of limitation, I will describel the construction shown in the drawing. Here are illustrated two adjacent retorts or carbonizing chambers 8 and 9. Each oi' these is provided with heating walls 1() and 11. Between the heating walls of adjacent retorts there are provided the intermediate walls 12, which serve to accommodate passages or fines.

The particular construction adopted for the various heating walls is a mattei' ot convenience in any particular case, and the features ot' the present invention do not relate to any heating wall. l owever, as a matter of convenience in illustration, and also because it has been found to be a satisfactory construction, I have shown the heating walls 'as built up from notched blocks laid in layers or courses, oi such form that the notches provide a meshwork of horizontally and vertically extending passages 13 on the interior of' the wall. The particular notched block illustrated is shown in detail in Figs. 6 and 7, and includes the side recesses 14 and. 15, and the top notch or recess 16.

The top surface of the central portion 17 of the block is of tapered or notch-shaped construction, as is wel] shown in Figs. 6 and 7. I will not herein particularly concern myself further with the details of construction of the heating' walls, beyond pointing out that certain of the blocks shown at 18 in Fig. 3 are not fully recessed, with the result that there is provided a vertical partition extending up through the wall to the course of blocks 19, thereby preventing the full or free interchange of gases lengthwise of the wall. Similarly the blocks 20 serve to provide, in effect, another verticalA partition extending from the course 21 to the course 22 shown in Fig. 3.

Along one edge of each heating wall. there is provided a series of burners 23 through which fuel gas is introduced into said edge of the heating wall from a manifold or manifolds 24 by Way of the individual burner connections 25. A valve` 26 may be provided in each of these individual burner connections, so that the gas supply to the different burners may be independently controlled.

Intermediate `the burner connections 25 )articular construction of are the air chambers 2?'B the lower ends of which deliver air from combustion through the nozzles 28. The air delivered ito each of these nozzles can be controlled bj a damper 29 in the lower portion of the corresponding chamber 27. Each of the nozzles 23 delivers its air into a relatively large air chamber 30, whereas each of the gas burners 23 delivers its gas into a relatively small gas chamber 3 From `the chambers 30 and 31 the air and gas respectively find their way into the upper portion of the heating wall and its passages. Examination of Fig. 3 will reveal the fact that the passages 30 are very much larger than the passages 31. This arrangement is desirable for the reason that several times as much air as gas by volume is necessary in order to support the perfect combustion7 and, therefore, the passages 30 should be several times the cross sectional area of the passages 31 in order to maintain theV same rate or velocity of flow of the air and the gas in said passages.

The air reaches the chambers 27 from the cross connections 32 which are best shown in Fig. 2. The central portion of each of these cross connections communicates with a vertical riser 33 within the body of the intermediate wall 12, the air for the risers 33 coming from the foundation of the structure where it may be preheated if that be desired. I will not further refer in detail to the construction of these risers and the arrangement within the foundation of the structure, inasmuch as these constructions may be of any suitable form which may be found desirable.

The major portion of the air, or in most cases, the entire volume or body of it, is

delivered in the first instance through the passages 30 in the upper portion of the wall. Only a portion of the gas, however, is delivered vthrough the passages 31, for eigample, 60% of the total amount. This means that there is an excess or surplus of airk during the beginning of the burning process. Intermediate the various risers 33 are .the `gas downcomers 34 and 35 best shown in Figs. 1- and 4. These deliver an additional quantity of gas into the central portions of the heating walls through the openings or nozzles 36 which are best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. These nozzles face alternately to the walls 10 and 11 inasmuch as the additional fuel gases for both of said walls are supplied from nozzles within a single intermediate wall 12.

Ordinarily the intermediate walls 12 are slightly thinner than the space between the two adjacent heating walls, so as to permit of a slight" amount of movement in the eX pansion of the walls when the structure is initially heated. n

The nozzles or openings 36 are conveniently formed in one of the courses of the notched block3 and the passages or downcomers 34 and 35 should register nicely with said nozzles and should provide substantially gas-tight connections with them. Otherwise there will be a certain amount of wastage of fuel gas, and, furthermore, the best results will not be secured. In order to insure a substantially gas-tight connection at this point, I have illustrated in Fig. 1 an arrangement in which the course of blocks 37 is slightly thicker than thc other courses of bloclrs in the intermediate wall 12, so as to insure a contact of at least the blocks of the course 37 with the faces of the heating` walls. This arrangement is well illustrated in Fig. 1.

The gas for the nozzles 3G and downcomers 34 and 35 may be drawn from any suitable source. A convenient arrangement, however, is that illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, in which a special manifold 3S is provided for this gas. During the ordinary run of the structure.v the additional or rein forcement fuel gas is supplied to the manifold 38 and this supply is continued until it may become desirable to introduce a supply of air into the passages 34 and 35. Although the supply of fuel gas to the manifold 38 is discontinuous or intermittent, still the heating effect from the nozzles 36 will be substantially constant because the combustion of carbon in the passages 34 and 35 will generate heat during the introduction of air.

In Fig. 5 is shown a convenient arrangement for supplying the air and gas intermittently, the same including the air connection 39 and the gas connection 40 lead ing to the manifold 38 and provided with the valves 41 and 42, respectively.

It is to be observed that while I have. in the drawings and description, mentioned only one specific or particular construction, the same being one in which there is only a single renewal or reinforcement of the combustion` still this arrangement is shown and described only by way of illustration. for it is evident that additional renewals or reinforcements of combustion may be sccured by subsequent introductions of additional quantities of the gas.

claim:

1. A heating wall having on its interior a meshwork of interconnected passages extending in zigzag fashion from its upper to its lower portion, whereby gases traveling downwardly therethrough may freely equal ize within the wall. a series of burners for directing fuel gas into the upper portions of said passages, a series of air connections for delivering a full quantity of air into said passages adjacent to the burners, there being gas passages extending downwardly and communicattng with orifices for the delivery of additional quantities of gas t their beginnm mflthefimmimf ufl the wall during the travel uit heating, mixture therethrough to yyneinforcathe pmbustionby the con miami i the Midi-tional fuel gas in the presence of the excess of' air `traveling tbmllgh the yalhthe heating mixture being freetozequahse poration` on the interior of `.Walt and thereby insure intimate mirtum, 0E guaq `illhumiliated with such excess of. ain, substantially as described.

2t A# heating W y Lhaving on a portion of its interior ai meshvnorlg of interconnected passages: extending in zlgaag fashion from lts-upper to itslower portion, whereby gas ini traveling downwardly therethrough may freely aqualine within auch portion of the Wall; as eriesofi burnerafor directing fuel gaainto the upper portionsof said passages,

enemies-ofu air connections for delivering an enoesaiqnantity of air into saidpassages near portions, there being gas passages eisten ing downwardly and com- Immmating.;with` orifices for delivering additional quantities of gas to the interior of the wall.v during the travel of the heating mixtura` therethrou `h to thereby reinforce the oomllllatmnillyy e uonsumption of the additional fuel gasin the presence of excess air traveling through the wall, the heating mixtnreiheing free to equalize position on the interior of the wall and thereby insure intimate` mixture ofi gas sointroduced with such i einem of" air, .substantially as described.

3: A heating wall having on its interior amashrvork of interconnected passages extending inizigzag fashion from one edge to an;` opposite edge, whereby gas traveling `Il l therethrough may freely equhze Within the `through the Wall, the heating mixture being free to equalize position on the interior of the wall and thereby insure intimate mixture ofgasso introduced with such excess of air, substantially as described.

4. A heating Wall having on its interior a mesh-work of interconnected passages extending in zigzag fashion the entire distance of the Wall from one edge to the other, whereby the gases traveling therethrough may freely equalize within the Wall, a series of burners for directing fuel gas into said passages adjacent to one edge, a series of air connections for delivering a full quantity of air into said passages adjacent to the burners, orifices for the delivery of addi.- tional quantities of gas to the interior of the Walllduring theftravel of the heated mix-- ture therethrough to reinforce,combustionV by the consumption of the additional fuel miXture of gas so introduced With such ex- 9 cess of air, substantially as described.;y

5. The method of substantially uniformly heatin a Wall or the like, which consistsin first inenting a mixture of air and gas overly rich in air in association with the Wall to thereby generate a primary increment of heat, thereafter causing said mixture to travel in zigzag fashion in contact with the` wall always in the same general direction from the one edge toward another, and which consists in reinforcing the heating action` during such travel and only after a number of sucssivc reversals of direction by the4 introduction of a secondary quantity of gasinto said mixture for the purpose of uniting With unconsumed air of the mixture and reinforcing the heat thereby.

6. The method of substantially uniformly heating a Wall or the like, which com-,ists1 in iiistdirccting a. mixtureof nii: and gus overly rich in onevconstituent in association `with the Wall to thereby gcilcrate a. primary increment of heat, thereafter callsing said mixture to travel in zig-zag fashion in con tact with the Wall always in. the same general direction from one edge toward another, and which consists in reinforcing the, heating action hiring suchtravel and only after a number of successive reversals of direction by the introduction. of a secondary quantity of that constituent not originally in excess` for the purpose of uniting with unconsumed portions of the constituent which was originally overly rich, `to thereby reinforce the heating action..

7. A heating Wall having on its interior a mesh'worlc of iutercoimcctcd passages extending .in zig-zag' fashion the entire distance of a portion of the Well, whereby the gases traveling therethrough may freely equalize within such portion of. the Wall, connections for directing fuel gas into said passages adjacent to one edge, connections for delivering a full quantity of air into said passa-ges adj acont to the first mentioned c0nnections, and other connections for delivering additional quantities of fuel gas into said passages during the travel of the burning mixture therethrough to reinforce the combustion by the consumption of such additional quantities of fuel gas in the presence of unconsumed air traveling through the passages. substantially as described.

8. A heating Wall having on its interior a series of interconnected passages extendil (l ing in sig-zag fashion through body a series oi connections for the'delivecy et constituents oi combustion into the Wall above said passages, and a series offf combustion chambers between the connections aforesaid and the interconnected passages aforesaid, said combustion chambers having openings 4extending between them permitting the interchange of constituents of combustion between them and lengthwise et the Wall. substantially as described.

9. A. heating Wall having on its interior a series or" passages extending through a portion of its body in Zig-zag fashion, a series of :connection-s for the delivery oli constituents of combustion into the wall adjacent to said connections,v and a series ciE combustion chambers between the connectionsv aforesaid .and the zig-zag passages aforesaicLsaid combustion chambers having openings extending between them permitting the interchange of constituents ot combustion between them and lengthwise ot the Wall, substantially as described.

10.k A heating Wall having on its interior a series of passages extending through a Y portion of its bodyin zig-zag fashion, connections for delivering a iull quantity of alr and a partial quantity of fuel gas mto said passages adJacent to the beginning portions of said Zig-Zag passages;` connecvtions for delivering a further portion ot fuel gas to points adplcent to said zig-zag passages in the central portion of the Wall, and a series of gas openings into the zigzag passages in the central portion of the Wall, said gas openings being elongated in the direction of gas flow through the Wall and having their floors slanting downwardly in the direction of gas How from them into the zig-zag passages, whereby the fuel gas deliveredY through them enters the zig-zag i Ato the zig-'lag passages in the central por tion of the rra-ll, said openings being clongated in the direction of gas flow through the vali and having" their floors slanting into the zigzag passages in the normal di rection oi? gas ioiv through the zig-Zag passages, Wherebj,Y the constituent of combustion introduced throughsaid openings moves into the zigzag passages in such way as to freely mingle with the g: ses A(lowing through said zig-zag passages, substantially as described.

l2. heating Wall having on its interior a series el passages extending through a portion of its body in zig-zag fashion, connections for delivering air and gas for combustion into said passages adjacent to the beginning portions thereof5 and connections for delivering a further portion of gas into said passages adjacent to their central portions and including gas ogienings elongated in the direction or gas travel through the Wall, whereby the fuel gas delivered through them enters the zig-Zag passages in the normal direction of gas movement through the zig-zag passages and is compelled to mix with the gases moving through said :cig-zag passages. substantially as described.

ARTHUR ROBERTS. 

